Daniel's Dark Descent
by HazelEyedLeah
Summary: The only things I could remember are the things I wish to forget. It was a nightmare, only worse. Real. Daniel's POV (for most)
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hmm. Once again a short story that's Amnesia related. Wonder what it says about me that they're the ones that come to me relatively easily. XP Enjoy!_

_And I do NOT own Amnesia: The Dark Descent or anything associated with it. ...But you knew that already! :D  
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_(Update: 6/12/13 - I just realized that I never said that this isn't exactly Brennenburg Castle. Yes, it's Amnesia, but think of it more as a custom story than as the actual A:TDD.)_

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"It's very dark," I thought as I woke, quietly gasping for breath. "It's also very uncomfortable." I was struck by a vague sense of déjà vu, but it faded quickly and I dismissed it. I gingerly pushed myself into a sitting position, trying not to aggravate all the aching in my body. Laying face down on a stone floor couldn't be good for you.

I silently groaned. It felt like I had been run over by a train. I tried to remember what had happened, but it caused my head to start throbbing. I could even hear the blood rushing through my ears.

"All right," I told myself, "No thinking. That can be arranged." I lurched to my feet, not able to see my hand in front of my face. "Nothing is going to get accomplished with me just sitting here," I thought, reaching out my arms and walking carefully until I hit a wall. A hazy incomplete thought turned me to the left, and I felt along the wall, coming to a wooden dresser. I found the handle and opened up the doors, squatting down to blindly search the bottom, finding a lone tinderbox.

My eyes having adjusted slightly, I saw a candle and cautiously went over to it, my body starting to move automatically as I began thinking. I had no clue if this place was safe or dangerous, but given that I was alone in the dark, in what seemed like a dungeon, unable to think clearly or remember what led me to this point, I picked the obvious choice.

This place? Dangerous. Proceed with caution.

Making it to the candle, I lit it. It flickered slightly, and then grew bright rather quickly, lighting up the whole room. I thought it odd, but I shook it off. I had other things to worry about.

Looking around the room seemingly confirmed my suspicions. Dungeon. Walking over to the only door of the room, I pushed it open. I mentally corrected 'Dungeon' to 'Dungeon looking Wine Cellar' as I started to carefully wander through rows and casks of dusty wine.

An unearthly moan echoed through the large room, catching me off guard and causing me to jump and flail about wildly before I took off running in no specific direction. I let my legs take over as they sprinted, jumped, and just full out ran through the confusing maze of wine. Maybe if I got lost, the... The Thing would as well.

I ran head on into a wall in my panic, not even flinching, and slid around the corner. I ducked behind a large crate, my senses heightened, and the pounding in my ears starting up again. I grit my teeth to keep a hold on reality as the darkness seemed to twist and warp in front of my eyes.

The noises started to come closer, and I tried shutting my eyes against the darkness only to discover I couldn't. The groaning temporarily forgotten, I tried forcing myself to blink. Why couldn't I blink.

I was shocked out of my thoughts when I stood and started sprinting out of my safe corner. "What am I doing?!" I screamed at myself – or rather, attempted to scream. I couldn't speak, I couldn't blink, I had no control of my body, what was going on?! The only thing I had were my thoughts, and what good is that with a monster chasing me?

Panic at not being able to control anything welled within me. I had never been so terrified ever before. Or maybe I had been. I couldn't remember.

My lungs burning, legs pumping, scenery flying past, I ran from the creature. Praying that I would make it.

My legs stopped moving.

My body turned around, forcing me to watch as the hideous demon ran at me. And if I thought I had been terrified before, now I was absolutely petrified. I screamed mentally, and tears silently streamed down my face. It was a nightmare, only worse. Real.

The monster got within striking distance, and ripped at my flesh with razor sharp claws. Pain screamed through my senses, and blood clouded my vision as I dropped to the floor, still hearing the disgusting noises of my own death.

My vision fading, I pleaded, "What did I do to deserve this...?"

. . . . . .

"It's very dark," I thought as I woke, quietly gasping for breath. "It's also very uncomfortable." I was struck by a vague sense of déjà vu, but quickly dismissed it.

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_A/N: Alright, so I wrote this as a one-shot, and I got an idea the next day to make it a small little series. I have three chapters written, and I'm planning on having five chapters. ...Maybe. XD I'm so sure, don't you love it? So anyways, I'll have the three up pretty quickly, but don't wait up for the last two. I am VERY slow when I'm not inspired. :D_


	2. Chapter 2

_"Anything to get out of here," I reasoned mentally. My hand rose automatically, not even giving it a second thought. By then, all eyes were on me and it's too late to back down. I took a breath to calm my nerves and declared:_

"I volunteer."

I startled at the fuzzy memory. If not for my inability to move of my own accord, I surely would've dropped my lantern. I still needed to work out why that was happening actually. No memory either. I could only remember the last hour – The first twenty minutes was mainly me freaking out over my lack of control. I got over that though. What could I do about it? – And I didn't have a hangover, so I hadn't been drinking. I hesitated, and if I could've controlled my facial expressions, I would've had a look of intense concentration on my face, trying to catch the memory that quickly flitted through my head.

Walking into what looked to be a torture chamber, I spouted off something about vitae that meant absolutely nothing to me. It still creeped me out hearing and feeling myself speak without having any control of it. Still, it was better than the voices and screams that would randomly float through the corridors – my voice sometimes included among them. Now that made my skin crawl.

I tried not to look at the gruesome scene in front of me, thankful I had no way to vomit. Mutilated remains of humans, animals, and… something else… were scattered around the room. Some still… attached to what they had died from. Pictures of the tools and machines in action completed the overall look of, 'You really don't want to be in here'.

Stepping further inside, a growl echoed behind me, making my heart skip a beat. "Okay, new least favorite sound," I mentally jotted down, thankfully beginning to run. I ran to the iron maiden, flinging the doors open and pulling the rotting body out of it. "SERIOUSLY?!" I screamed in my head, "I'm climbing into an iron maiden?! What kind of messed up world is this?!" I shut the doors and crouched down, trying not to scream as the spikes sliced and ripped my skin to ribbons. I knew I couldn't speak, but it would be just my luck if now was the time I could be heard. Snarls and bangs could be heard outside, and I tried to focus on something other than… well, everything. "What about a song?" I tried to calmly ask myself, "Yes, how about trying to remember a song?" Ironically the only one coming to mind was 'What a Wonderful World'.

I was in the middle of trying not to crack up from the ridiculousness and sheer strain of everything – it would do me no good to start laughing like a lunatic – until I noticed that it was silent outside of the iron maiden. I pushed to door open slightly, and the hideous creature was standing across the room in profile, tearing a body to shreds almost as if it was having fun. Instead of closing the door and waiting until it left, I pushed the door open further, causing it to squeak. The monster fixed its beady eyes on me, and suddenly the room started to warp and my ears began to ring. I quickly pulled the door shut, hoping all I could that it would forget about me and go away.

Unfortunately it seemed that today was certainly not my lucky day, and the footsteps were getting closer. I had never been so terrified before in all my life. "Well, maybe I had and I just couldn't remember it," the annoyingly calm part of my brain chimed in. "SHUT UP," the normal – and very scared – part told it.

The footsteps stopped right in front of the doors, and my heart sped up to the point where the monster could probably hear it pounding. The doors flung open, and the creature growled in victory and lifted it's mutilated hand up to strike me down. The hand came rushing down seemingly in slow motion, forcing me to watch every second of it until-...

...Did the monster just disintegrate? I was still for a moment out of shock, wishing to collapse, but happy for no movement. I tried to calm my heart rate and breathing before my legs decided to run. It was then I decided.

I'm going to make it out of here alive.

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_A/N: Reviews make the world go round. ...And inflate my little writers ego, which makes me write faster! :D_


	3. Chapter 3

The man in the white lab coat smirked at the screen, looking through the readings he was getting from the man wired up on the table behind him. He wanted to jump around with glee, but he had things to do. Plus these prison wardens certainly knew how to keep him on his toes. Randomly popping in, "Do you need something, Dr. Eminiss?" "Can we get anything for you, Dr. Eminiss?" It was driving him crazy! Never before had he had this many people looming over _his_ project. But he had to be polite and welcoming, for he didn't want to alert the prison wardens that something sinister was going on in the makeshift lab.

A knock at the door surprised him, and he quickly schooled his face into a look of relaxed neutrality. "Come in," he called.

A petite woman in a prison guard uniform opened the door and stuck her head in. "Dr. Eminiss?"

"Yes, child?" He knew that he could get away with playing the grandfatherly part, and it lulled people into a false sense of security around him.

The woman smiled at him briefly, and stepped fully into the room. "I was just wondering if everything is going well, doctor."

"Oh, yes! Yes! Quite well!" he innocently blundered. Someone who seemed a little quirky was also looked upon with less than the usual suspicion. He looked back down at his readings, acting as if something captured his attention.

She nodded, and continued to stand in the room, glancing around at the machines and finally looking with concern at the unconscious man on the table. She stepped towards him before realizing that she probably shouldn't. She glanced at Dr. Eminiss and he waved her forward distractedly. "You may look and touch if you wish. Just do not mess with any of the wires. It would mess up everything!"

The woman nodded absently and walked over to rest a hand on Daniel's forehead, feeling his temperature. She flinched, feeling how hot his skin was. "Is he alright?"

"Oh he's doing perfectly," Dr. Eminiss reassures, keeping the satisfaction out of his voice, "He's exactly what we needed."

The woman was silent for a while, lost in her own thoughts. Dr. Eminiss was starting to get antsy from her presence. He wanted time alone to be able to relish the torment he was putting upon the man on the table. He was about to open his mouth to ask her to leave when she asked him, "Why again do you need him?"

"Well the creators of the game-,"

"Amnesia?" she supplied.

The doctor nodded in agreement, "Amnesia, very good. They're testing a new way to create game avatars – that's the person you play in the game, you know – because it's very difficult to make avatars that move and react to the environment naturally," he recited. He couldn't remember how many times he had had to give this reassurance speech. It was starting to wear on him, but he couldn't give up the pleasure he felt from having someone go through this hell. He realized the woman was waiting for him to finish his explanation, so he quickly added, "That's why we have Daniel here," he nodded to his victim, "To gather information on his movement as he walks through the game."

The woman - Eminiss noted that her nametag read Everett - gestured to the people sitting on the other side of the one-way glass, "So what are they doing?"

"Well they're moving him around, of course!" he said as if it should be obvious.

"All of them?" Everett asked, raising an eyebrow at the thirteen people sitting around watching the one person playing on a lone computer.

"Yes, of course," he said, quickly becoming impatient with Everett's questions, but trying not to show it, "They are all different skill levels. Some make it halfway, others finish completely, and still others die instantly."

Everett winced, looking at Daniel and gently brushing his hair out of his eyes, "Does it hurt him?" she asked, watching as his eyes darted around under his lids.

Dr. Eminiss had to quickly turn his back to the woman so that she could not see the sadistic smile that lit up his face. As soon as he got his expression under control, he spun around to face Everett, looking appalled. "Certainly NOT!" he cried in what he hoped was a shocked way.

Everett relaxed slightly, and smiled down at Daniel's unconscious form. "Good. I like the kid. He never should have been in here anyways," she said, talking mainly to herself now. She took his hand and murmured, "Glad he could use this as a possible way to get out."

Eminiss nodded, not even pretending to listen anymore. Working frantically on his computer to muffle the viewable reactions Daniel could give. He may not be able to move in game, but it didn't mean he couldn't in real life. Realizing there was little he could do, Doctor Eminiss spun on his heel to face Everett, worried that he would be found out. "Miss Everett, if you could be so kind as to leave. I have much to do, and you're in the way."

"Of course," she stammered, letting go of Daniel's hand and hurrying out, giving one last sympathetic look at Daniel over her shoulder.

Eminiss dropped down into his chair, going limp out of relief. He sat that way for a few minutes, letting his mind wander. Movement from the other room got his attention, and he noticed that many of the players were jumping around and yelling. Something was probably after Daniel.

The doctor smiled cruelly and pressed a button releasing the small emotional block he had put on the man before him. Daniel's face immediately tensed and he began screaming in pain. Eminiss began to twirl around and laugh hysterically, glad for the sound proof room.

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_A/N: Reviews are internet hugs!_


	4. Chapter 4

Walking down another long corridor, I let my thoughts drift. Going into an almost meditative state, I let myself forget about everything. There was no castle, no dungeons, and no monsters. Just relaxing nothingness.

. . .

Did something just touch my forehead?

It felt wonderful. I hadn't realized how uncomfortably warm it was within the castle until the cool feeling of a hand hit. But it was gone as soon as it appeared, leaving me feeling disgustingly sweaty, with no ability to do anything about it. It was nice being able to see with the lit torches lining the walls, but the heat being put off of them was outrageous.

What I wouldn't give for some florescent lights.

My thoughts ground to a halt, focusing on one point. What's a florescent light? My mind offered me pictures and thoughts of bright glowing glass, much cooler and much more effective than the firelight around me.

But that's impossible. This is…

I had to think about it for a moment. My initial reaction was to say 2013. But I knew that was absolutely ridiculous.

The year of our Lord, 1839, I remembered triumphantly.

The thought of glowing lights summoned with a flick of a small lever had me feeling rather anachronistic. A niggling thought in the back of my mind whispered that all this was wrong. The time period, the castle, the monsters. It was WRONG.

But I didn't have much time to dwell on it any longer. I had come to an imposing door. Of course I shoved it open without a second thought, and stepped fully into the room. It was darker in here than in the corridor, and fairly quiet. But the quiet was unnatural and deafening, and felt almost alive. I strained my eyes trying to see. I lit my lantern and lifted it, throwing flickering shadows across the space.

What I saw caused a chill to go down my spine. They were everywhere. I had stumbled into a two story room full of those monsters. Well, a prison full of those monsters.

They hadn't seen me yet, and they were locked behind bars, but I had seen their strength first hand – knocking down solid wood doors reinforced with metal like they were hardly any sturdier than parchment, just to get to me.

My eyes darted back and forth, taking in the sight, and trying to steel myself for when my feet started inevitably bringing me closer. I was even-

There was the touch again. This time more of a light brush than a touch. My eyes darted around, searching for the cause. When nothing was readily apparent, I brushed it off. I couldn't focus on that. It'd get me killed.

Not that what I was thinking had any impact on what I was doing, but I liked to feel as if I was prepared for what was about to happen.

I took one step, then two. Slowly edging my way into the room. Sticking to the left wall, I got close to one of the cell doors, quickly glancing inside. The monster didn't move from its spot, looking down at its feet and making slight growling noises.

Emboldened by its apathy, I moved to stand directly in front of the cell. The monster looked up at me and snarled, but otherwise did nothing. My hand reached out and shook the metal bars, resulting in a loud clanging noise that echoed around the room, making growls and screeches come from the other cells.

While my attention was elsewhere, the monster in front of me charged at the door, throwing my balance off. Seeing it now was trying to get out of its cage, I spun around and ran for the lever on the other end of the room, passing dozens of trapped monsters.

Hearing a few metallic snapping noises, my heart began to beat faster, and I worried I wasn't going to make it. Not only did I have to pull the lever, I also had to find where the door was that the lever operated.

A few feet more, and I was yanking the lever down, causing the loud sound of rusted gears grinding together that echoed through the large room, making it difficult to pinpoint where it was coming from.

Although it seemed the rest of me knew what to do as I ran for the staircase to the second story. Just as my foot hit the first step, all the prison doors swung open. My blood froze in fear but I kept moving, taking the stairs two at a time. The feeling of a hand slipping into mine should have shocked me more, but I was too relieved at the little bit of comfort to consider it strange.

Instead it gave me hope. I was not alone.

I ran past the beasts, with several running after me already, and many more joining them.

I surprised myself with how fast I seemed to be able to react to things as I dodged and weaved through the mass of monsters, the phantom hand in mine urging me on. I just had to pass a few more of those things, run just a few more yards and I would be able to get to the door.

The adrenaline pounding though my veins was starting to make me feel giddy. I was going to make it! I was going to!

The phantom touch vanished from my hand right as I was passing a particularly dense clump of the monsters. And the lack of the comforting presence was compounded by something slicing into my back.

The wound made me scream in pain, and caused me to slow. The noises of the creatures began to get closer, and one exceptionally close and vicious one tore away at the skin on my back. Ripping deeper each time it hit.

I fought through the nausea and dizziness from the pain, trying to focus on the door just steps away. I was now at the point where I was half crawling, half dragging myself towards the door. I needed to get there…

Just a few…

Inches…

More…!

I grabbed the handle and everything went silent. I froze and slowly looked behind me.

There was nothing. No monsters, no open prison doors, just an unnaturally quiet room with a few wisps of smoke lingering in the air.

For how exhausted I felt, I was forced to get up and wander around the room. Poking into random things curiously.

Finally I went back over to the door and opened it, revealing a white light that completely blinded me to the rest of the room. I didn't have much time to think about it before I stepped in, and, despite the bright whiteness, everything went black.


End file.
